Sufferings of Christ

Matthew 26:45-50—Judas betrayed him

Matthew 26:67-78-- Spit on, abused, and betrayed by his friends

Matthew 27:26; institute manual, “Derision and Scourging” (184)—clothing was taken

Tied and whipped

Put him in a red robe and crown of thorns

Matthew 27:28—took his clothes

Matthew 27:29-30—Mocked him by dressing him as a “king” with things that weren’t king-like

Matthew 27:31—Put him in dirty clothes for the crucifixion

Matthew 27:35—Gambled for his clothing

Christ has endured so much. Because of that, Christ is able to know exactly how we feel at any time in our lives. He really can be a comforter because he knows exactly what we are going through. Sometimes if we think that no one can understand how we feel, we have to take a step back and realize that we always have someone we can depend on.

Instructions about the Holy Ghost

The Savior’s Instructions about the Holy Ghost

In these scriptures, I will pick out two things: what the Holy Ghost does and what disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost.

John 14:15-17 The Holy Ghost comforts. In order to receive the Holy Ghost, one must keep the commandments and love Christ.

John 14:26-27 The Holy Ghost brings things to remembrance and teaches. He guides. In order to receive the Holy Ghost, we must listen.

John 15:26-27 The Holy Ghost testifies of Christ. In order to receive the Holy Ghost, we have to do all we can and then ask if it is true.

John 16:7-8 The Holy Ghost is the comforter and reproves the world of sin. We must be righteous in order to receive him.

John 16:13-14 The Holy Ghost guides and shows what is to come. The Holy Ghost glorifies the Lord.

I think that children building a testimony of the Holy Ghost are extremely important because getting that testimony built that young is beneficial. I remember being really young when my mother taught me about prayer and the Holy Ghost. I gained a testimony of prayer early because one day as I was playing in the back yard, I lost my favorite bracelet. I immediately thought that I should pray so I could find it, so I did. I remember the thought popping into my head that I should look over by a certain tree and sure enough, there was my bracelet. It was simple, but it really confirmed to me that the Gospel is true.

John 13:1-17, Luke 22:24-30, Mark 10:43-45 The Savior Taught the Apostles About Leadership

Christ taught about righteous leadership. How do leaders in the Church differ from leaders of the world?

John 13:1-17 In this scripture, Christ taught that leaders should be righteous examples. They should emulate exactly how the people should act. They can’t be hypocrites or else they aren’t being righteous examples. He also taught that leaders need to serve those whom they preside.

Luke 22:24-30 In this one, Christ teaches that those who are the greatest should be like those who are younger. They should serve. So leaders who serve are great leaders.

Mark 10:43-45 This basically repeats the others.

The leaders of the world don’t take into account the teachings of Christ before they make decisions. Some of them are good, but some of them aren’t. I think for the most part, Church leaders try to emulate Christ’s teachings as much as possible.

I have had many leaders at Church in my time, and most of them have been really great. I believe they followed Christ’s example. I am so grateful for them and hopefully if I ever get called as a leader, I can be like them.

Mark 13, Luke 21:5-38, Joseph Smith—Matthew: Preparing for the Savior’s Second Coming

This scripture block is all about the second coming of Christ. No one knows when it is (except God and Christ) so we have to prepare!

First I will look at these scriptures: Mark 13:5, 9, 23, 33, 35, 37

Almost all of these verses start with “take heed” and “watch.” This is the Lord warning us of the signs. He gives us signs so we can better prepare for the second coming. In these verses, Christ tells us not to let any man decieve us, that members will be persecuted, that there will be false prophets, and that we don’t know when He will come. The final verse says, “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

These are some other scriptures that talk about the second coming:

Doctrine and Covenants 87:8 “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.” So what are “holy places?” I think they are anywhere the Spirit is. The Spirit cannot dwell in an unholy place.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:32 “And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.”

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:37 This scripture talks about how we need to treasure the word of God. If we do that, we will not be decieved because all His instruction and guidance is in His word.

Joseph Smith—Matthew 1: 46-50 To sum up this scripture: If we are watchful and prepared at the second coming, we will be made rulers.

Doctrine and Covenants 33:17 This scripture is about the parable of the ten virgins. The Lord tells us not to let our oil lamps dry out and to be ever prayerful and watchful.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:56-57 This is also about the ten virgins. It says we need to receive the truth and be wise. We need to have the Holy Spirit as our guide.

TCIT!

Mark 12:41-44 The Widow's Mite

Most of us have heard the story of the widow's mites. It is one of my all time favorite stories in the scriptures. This is the story I would like to explore today. Read Mark 12:41-44 to get the story.

When paying tithes, the rich were casting in a bunch of money, but the poor widow only cast in two mites. Christ said that she had cast in more than the rich because she gave everything she had. In the New Testament manual I use for my class it says, "According to the arithmetic of heaven, entries are made in terms of quality rather than of quantity, and values are determined on the basis of capability and intent." So entries in heaven aren't based on how much you give, but why you give it and how much you are able to give. The widow was loving the Lord with all her heart, and she knew what mattered most. Mark 12:30 says, " And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." She was following the commandments precisely.

The widow didn't have much to give, but she gave it all. This shows what she is willing to sacrifice for the Lord. The manual also says, "On the books of the heavenly accountants that widow's contribution was entered as a munificent gift, surpassing in worth the largess of kings."

Sometimes I don't feel as if I am dedicating my whole life to Christ. Here are some things I will work on. I will keep reading my scriptures. Sometimes I skip nights because I am tired, but I will tithe my time so I can read the Lord's instructions. I will follow those instructions as well. Liken the scriptures unto myself so I can reap those wonderful benefits of living righteously.

Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ

This scripture block includes Luke 10:38-42, 11:1-13, 12:13-40, 13:23-24, 14:16-33.

What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ?

I think that being a disciple of Christ means putting Him first in everything you do. He is the first priority in your life. That is what Mary did (Luke 10:38-42) when Christ was speaking with her and Martha. The bible dictionary says a disciple is "A pupil or learner; a name used to denote the twelve, also called apostles, all followers of Jesus Christ. We also read of disciples of John the Baptist and of the Pharisees (Mark 2: 18)." A disciple must be a constant learner, and must always have his or her mind and heart open to Christ. A disciple also follows the commandments.

Since we all should want to be disciples of Christ, I am going to choose a disciple characteristic I can apply more in my life. I can work on putting Christ first on my list of priorities. Sometimes I get so caught up in the world and with everything I am doing that I forget who made my life possible and who gave me everything I have.

Luke 14:33 says, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." So if you aren't willing to give up everything you have for Christ, then you aren't being a disciple. You must be willing to sacrifice everything and give your whole soul unto Christ. But this makes sense, since we are eternally indebted to him because he sacrificed his life so we could have salvation.

Matthew 17:14-21 The Savior Healed a Young Man

Hello again. This time I am posting on my blog extra early because I am going to be really busy the next couple of weeks.

This scripture block is about a man who was healed by Christ after Christ’s disciples weren’t able to heal him. After he heals the man, Christ tells the disciples why they couldn’t. He said they didn’t have enough faith, and they didn’t fast or pray.

3 Nephi 18:20 “And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.” This proves that prayer is essential if a miracle is to occur.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:29 “And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done.” This teaches that in order for a miracle to happen you have to be pure and cleansed from sin. It also says that prayer plays a key role.

Doctrine and Covenants 42:48 “And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.” And here we see that faith is also a key role. If we don’t have faith, it won’t happen.

So in summary, the three things we need to have in order for a miracle to occur are faith, prayer, and fasting.

Matthew 14:22-33 Walking on the Sea

Okay so this week the scripture block is about Christ walking on the sea, and eventually Peter joining him.

First I would like to talk about the apostles' reaction to seeing Christ walking on water. They were afraid because at first they thought Christ was a spirit. I think this showed a lack of faith because they didn’t believe that Christ could walk on water. Once they realized it was Christ, Peter asked Christ if he could walk on water as well. I think that Peter showed a tremendous amount of faith because he believed that Christ could do anything. He truly believed Christ was the son of God. So Peter started to walk on water towards Christ, but according to Matthew 14:30, Peter saw the wind boisterous and became afraid. He paid more attention to the world around him then to Christ at that particular moment in time. He took his eyes off of Christ and then began to sink. Peter then yelled out, “Lord, save me.” Immediately (and it says immediately in the scriptures) Christ was there, helping Peter. Christ caught him and saved him.

In Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 it says, “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.” This scripture helps us understand that if we have the eternal perspective and focus only on Christ and choosing the right, there shall be no darkness in us. Awesome, isn’t it? It is the same with Peter: he sank because he took his eye off of what matters most.

Matthew 11:1–19; Luke 7:18–35. John the Baptist

Another week of the New Testament! This time it might be repetitive since I already talked about John the Baptist, but that is okay. This block had to do with Matthew 11:1-19 and Luke 7:18-35. It will make more sense if you read the scriptures before you embark on my ramblings :)


What did the two disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus Christ? “Art thou he that should come? Or look we for another?”

The Savior told them to go back to John and tell what they saw and heard. After reading these accounts, explain things you would have told John if you had been with those two men. The Savior told John’s disciples to tell John certain things. I would tell John that Christ performs miracles, and that he is indeed the Son of God.

Explain why John wanted his disciples to go to Jesus Christ. John wanted his disciples to learn for themselves that Christ was the Messiah. John had told them several months before to follow Jesus because he was the Savior, but some of his disciples were reluctant. John gave them a question to ask Jesus as a learning experience for them, not him. John wanted to make sure they knew that he was a prophet, but Christ was the Son of God.

What did the Savior say about John the Baptist in Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28? Christ said that there was no greater prophet than John. The student manual says, “Whom did Jesus have reference to as being the least? Jesus was looked upon as having the least claim in God’s kingdom, and [seemingly] was least entitled to their credulity as a prophet; as though He had said— ‘He that is considered the least among you is greater than John—that is I myself.’”

Provide three reasons given by Joseph Smith why John the Baptist is considered among the greatest prophets.

• He was entrusted with preparing the way before the face of the Lord
• His mission was to baptize Jesus Christ
• John was the only legal administrator of the priesthood keys at this time

What does John 3:30 suggest about John the Baptist and his attitude toward the Savior? Briefly describe how we could apply a similar attitude in our own lives. This verse says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This shows that John the Baptist knew that Christ was the Messiah. John knew that since Christ had come, John’s mission was to direct people towards Christ and not take the limelight. John was completely selfless and only concerned about others’ salvation. I know that we can look at the eternal perspective and try to be selfless too. Sometimes we get so caught up in the moment we don’t see the right perspective, but let’s be like John.

Matthew 8-9; Mark 2. Miracles Are Evidence of Faith and God's Power

Okay. I read these scripture blocks and identified what miracle took place, and who had faith.

Matthew 8:1-4 Christ healed a leper, and the leper had to have faith to be healed.

Matthew 8:5-13 Christ healed a servant sick with the palsy. A centurion asked Christ to heal him without actually seeing him, so the centurion had to have faith. Christ even said that he had great faith.

Matthew 8:14-15 Christ healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Peter would have to have faith for this, so would his wife and mother-in-law.

Matthew 8:16 Christ cast out spirits, and healed all that were sick. I think a lot of people would have to faith… especially those that Christ heals.

Matthew 8:23-27 While the disciples and Christ were on a ship, a tempest came and Christ calmed the seas. Christ says that the disciples didn’t have much faith, so I think this was a lesson for them and a faith-growing experience.

Matthew 8:28-34 Christ cast spirits out of bodies into swine. I think this was meant to be a lesson of faith as well.

Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34 Christ healed the woman who touched his clothes. She had an extraordinary amount of faith. She knew that if she just touched him, she would be made whole.

Matthew 9:27-31 Christ gave two blind men their sight. They had to have enough faith for this to happen.

Mark 2:1-12 Christ healed the person sick with palsy. Those who brought him in had faith enough, but this was also a learning experience for the scribes who didn’t believe that Christ was the Son of God.

I think that all these miracles are pretty amazing. I had a friend who once told me that you have to expect a miracle. You have to have complete faith that it WILL happen, or else you don't have enough faith. He told me that a few years ago, but I carry it with me still because miracles still happen. I know that because they happen in my life when I need them. It amazes me that God has such power, but then I am not really surprised because He did create the world, didn't he? We have the priesthood on the earth now, which is the authority to act in God's name. Some people don't believe in revelations or miracles in the latter days, but it is so obvious that they do still occur. God would never abandon us.

The Baptism of Christ

And back to another week of school, and another blog post! This post is about the baptism of Jesus Christ. For this, I read Matthew 3:13-17.

As we know, John the Baptist baptized Christ. When Christ asked John to do it, John hesitated because he knew that Christ was so perfect. John was hesitant because he didn’t feel that Jesus needed to be baptized, but Jesus assured him that he needed to set the example and that all men must be born of water and of the spirit before entering the Kingdom of God. Even if he was the most perfect man in the world, he still needed to be baptized. Another reason Christ needed to be baptized is that he needed to keep the commandments of God and be obedient.

In this scripture passage, we read that the Holy Ghost descended "like a dove." The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, and as we (LDS people) believe, the Godhead is 3 separate personages. The Holy Ghost didn’t change into a dove… the Holy Ghost descended as a personage (because that is what he is) and it was “like unto a dove” because the sign of the dove is a token of truth and innocence. Also, there is scriptural proof of the Godhead being 3 separate people. Matthew 3:16-17 says that Jesus was being baptized, and the Holy Ghost was descending, and God spoke from the heavens saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." If they weren't separate, how could this happen? I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that the Godhead are 3 separate beings. TCIT (the church is true)!

The New Testament

Hello, all!

I am in an online New Testament class this Fall, so I wanted to blog about it. Blogging is a great way to spread the Gospel, so I thought this was an excellent idea.

This week we read Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, John 1:1-18, and John 17:1-5. It was all about the birth and childhood of our Savior Jesus Christ, but for this blog, I will focus on Luke 1:5–80.

This scripture passage is all about John the Baptist. as I was reading it, I realized how important he is, and how his birth was essential to Christ's mission. The scriptures talk about how John the Baptist was going to be a powerful man and assist Christ in his mission.

Luke 1:15-16 says, "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Hold Ghost, even from his mother's womb. and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God."
This scripture reminded me of Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;"
John the Baptist's job is a great one: he is responsible for returning many children of Israel to the Lord. He makes their salvation possible in a way.

So I am supposed to discuss reasons why people would rejoice over John the Baptist's birth and mission. Luke 1:17 explains, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and the power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." So that scripture basically defines his mission. Without him, many people wouldn't be baptized. They wouldn't know the joy that the Gospel brings, and they wouldn't be able to return to their Heavenly Father.

John the Baptist was truly an amazing man. It would be great if we were all more like him :) I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that he sacrificed himself so we could return to live with our God.